Category Archives: Ochiltree

Ochiltree Term 2

Ochiltree News Update – December 2022

What a year we are having so far! Very busy, busy, busy learning and having fun, fun, fun!

So what have we been up to……..

SQA: Luca and Duncan have been enjoying lots of different experiences working toward achieving new SQA qualifications including bowling, archery, cycling, looking after your home and adult relationships. Of course the boys love all the activities and could not say what is their favourite as they have been fantastic at trying out everything.

ASDAN: Everyone has been learning new skills and attributes through activities leading to their ASDAN qualifications – it is easy to say that Gordon and his music is everyone’s favourite – they have been loving listening and joining in with different genres throughout the session – maybe we will have a rock band by the end of the year! Alex and Fletcher have had challenges that they have worked hard on and are showing progression in communication skills, physical skills, interaction and independence in school and while out and about in the local community. Mollie has been an explorer of different textures. She has had fun with her friends exploring sensory baskets of rough and smooth material, hard and soft materials and also messy play with lots of different dry materials. Mollie is also being challenged to move her body in different ways – this is being supported through her Rebound, Horse riding and movement tasks in the class – she is very motivated by her keyboard!

Stanley keeps us on our toes – he knows what is happening and on what day and will soon tell us if we are not right! Stanley has been a real star in his walker and is so motivated to use it on a daily basis – he likes to go and have a chat with different people around the school as well as doing his recycling! Stanley has also been enjoying horse riding and getting out to the shops and library.

We love mixing with Duntarvie for lots of different activities especially for outdoor play where there are more of us to join in playing games, lots of us are trying out new things this year and having lots of fun! Thursday is our big mix up day for music, IT and PE/Floor Exercise and what can I say there is a bunch of superstars in the secondary department – We are blown away at the resilience and motivation to try and to build on skills to help them with future physical barriers. Another group we have been having is our boys and girls groups – what a bunch of independent superstars we have and the tolerance of all during this lovely happy relaxing activity – foot care, hand care and haircuts – what next?

Our big project this term has been Upcycling and what a job we have done! We held an open day for other schools to come along to upcycle old toys etc in exchange for a new toy to donate to the toy appeal – Alex and Fletcher went round each class once a week with their trolley to collect for the toy appeal and the food bank and were kept busy! Alex, Duncan, Fletcher and Aria also upcycled jigsaws to make different home accessories which are beautiful!

I could go on and on at how amazing these children are so let me just finish by saying Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all and look forward to a new term and new challenges that lie ahead.

 

 

Ochiltree Term 1

Ochiltree has had a fantastic start to the year and we have had a great time learning, having fun and getting to know each other.

We were busy the first couple of weeks making displays for our Class Charter and our Target work. Our theme being balloons. So we had a fun photo shoot to help make the display.

The boys have been enjoying our Boys Group that we have started – they are going to have the girls heads turning by the end of the year they will be looking and smelling so good! They have been really motivated and trying hard to help themselves with their own personal care and we are looking forward to seeing how well they come on over the year.

The children are working hard to achieve their IEP targets as well as ASDAN and SQA quaalifications. They are working well individually to carry out class jobs/home chores as well as physical exercises and trying out new experiences such as rebound, archery, meeting new animal friends and peers.

We hope you all have a great holiday and we are looking forward to the next term and all things Christmasy! x

Secondary Assembly – Friendship

This week Ochiltree and Duntarvie enjoyed a messy but fun assembly all about what it takes to make a goodfriend.

Please have a look at the lovely video made up of the photos taken.

Ochiltree Memories from Term 2 2021

 

What a year it has been so far – lots and lots of fantastic achievements made in 2021! There are so many memories I wanted to share that I have made a Sway for each of the children!

We have also been enjoying sharing our good work each week when we are sending home our baking, craft work and plants – I think the escorts are beginning to wonder what will come next!

We are truly grateful that we have had the opportunity to participate in so many great activities this year both in our own class and with Duntarvie! Lets keep our fingers crossed that we will continue in the new year!!!

Christmas Wishes to you all from Ochiltree xcx

 

 

 

 

Come and join our Scottish Celebration Assembly

 

Unicef World Children’s Day

 

 

Secondary Assembly for World Children’s Day

Blue is the colour for World Children’s Day 2021

We had a story massage about Paddington

Then we talked about how we felt when he came to London and how he feels when people are not nice to him.

We learned how to do the ‘Hard Stare’ when people are not nice!

Duncan was fantastic at this and as also able to show his friends different emotions too!

We made blue prints for a display in the school too.

Please have a look at how we made them and a look at how Paddington does the hard stare! Can you do it?

Ochiltree Term 1

I cannot believe that it is October already!

We have had a fabulous start to the year and have been enjoying our extended bubble with Duntarvie and participating in lots of new activities with all our friends from there!

So what have we been up to…..

We had a very successful litter pick around Craigshill but we were very surprised at how little litter there was about – the community have come together and have made fantastic changes around the area. We were also able to see how well our flowers have been growing at the street signs we planted before the summer – this caught on and there are lots of streets around doing the same now!

It was lovely to see Luca’s family and they had fun joining us for a walk around the Almond – it was a shame that you could not all join us but hopefully we will see you all soon at other school events.

We are all working hard on our qualifications this year – ASDAN and SQA projects as well as our IEP targets. William and Aria are doing lots together and are joined by Charlie for topic work, Luca is joining the Duntarvie class for lots of activities and Sophie is joining her friends from Duntarvie for lots of movement and sensory activities.

Catherine has been conducting the topic – Looking After My Body and the children have loved all the fun activities she has been doing – they especially enjoyed the smelling and tasting activity. Catherine has also been doing Drama which Luca and Sophie have been going to and they love it – hopefully we will be able to put on a show for you at Christmas or at the end of the year!

The children are all getting to try out new activities, experience new things and encouraged to be as independent as they can be building skills for adulthood! They are a great help carrying out their class jobs, Eco tasks and helping out in the community.

There are so many things I could rave about but I must leave space for some pictures.

Please click on the link below to see a fantastic video of our stars at work and play.

https://youtu.be/fdBzrA45otY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Music October 2021

Mr Macarella and a mission into space!

It was great to see everyone happy to return to music and to welcome some new faces joining us for musical fun too.

We began the term with some familiar songs and activities to help settle everyone in before focusing on silly Mr. Macarella. This clapping song tells us how he didn’t use his umbrella to keep dry and how 8 raindrops fell on him. Then we all count and clap while learning about the different parts of the body where the rain fell. We then moved onto playing the rain sounds and the 8 raindrops on different instruments as the rain drops fell on his musicians.  

This term we also have some smaller Music groups with Lammermuir and early Primary children focusing on musical play and exploration, intensive interaction, movement and nursery rhymes. 

Secondary had two cross-class music groups and some also have 1-1 sessions this term. One group began working on choosing and playing instruments that will help tell the story of a journey into space. This will help them work as a group with solo spots on their chosen instruments that will go towards their SQA awards. The other group are enjoying playing and moving along to music from different genres as they work towards their ASDAN awards. 

We will continue the fun into next term, adding in seasonal songs for Halloween and Christmas.  Have a great October break!

 

Ochiltree 2021/22

I cannot believe I am writing 2021/22 already!

In saying that we are all so happy to be back at school and ready to get into action with all the new and exciting changes happening in the secondary department.

This year we are hoping to be more interactive with each other and experience and participate in new group activities with our friends from Duntarvie.

The children will all continue to work on building their personal skills to develop their independence where possible as well as working on life skills through SQA and ASDAN qualifications.

There are also lots of whole school activities to look forward to and fingers crossed we will be able to see you all soon back at school for some Beatlie socialising.

There are a few new faces in Ochiltree and we are enjoying getting to know one another. This year we have Aria, Luca, Sophie, William, Vanessa and Rylie who will be supported and encouraged by Sandra, Alison, Anna, Caitlin, Louisa and Emma with Catherine covering when required.

The Ochiltree 2021-2022 Team